Micro two-phase liquid droplet generation device

Abstract

The present invention provides a micro two-phase droplet generating device that does not require separate through-holes corresponding to a plurality of two-phase dispersed parallel continuous flow channels. The micro two-phase droplet generating device of the present application comprises a row of a plurality of microflow channels, liquid transfer ports, and a slit, and is configured so as to form two-dispersion phase parallel continuous flows at first connection sites between the plurality of microflow channels, in which a first dispersion phase flows, and the slit, through which a second dispersion phase flows. A continuous phase is fed to second connection sites between the plurality of microflow channels, in which the two-dispersion phase parallel continuous flows flow, and another liquid transfer port, which is preferably a second slit, downstream of the slit, and the two-dispersion phase parallel continuous flows are sheared at the second connection sites, whereby two-phase droplets, and in particular, core-shell or Janus two-phase droplets, can be generated, and a product can be collected from a discharge port.

1 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method for generating micro two-phase droplets, which comprises:
 using a micro two-phase droplet generating device comprising
 a row of a plurality of microflow channels, and 
 a first liquid transfer port, a first slit, a second liquid transfer port, and a third liquid transfer port, 
   supplying a first dispersion phase from the first liquid transfer port to the plurality of microflow channels, to form a flow of the first dispersion phase in the plurality of microflow channels,   supplying a second dispersion phase from the first slit toward the plurality of microflow channels, to form a flow of the second dispersion phase in the first slit, the first dispersion phase and the second dispersion phase being liquids which are not completely miscible with each other,   joining the flow of the first dispersion phase and the flow of the second dispersion phase at connection sites between the microflow channels and the first slit to form a two-phase parallel continuous flow, which is a continuous flow having the first dispersion phase and the second dispersion phase in parallel, in the microflow channels between the end of the first slit and the end of second liquid transfer port,   supplying a continuous phase from one of the second liquid transfer port or the third liquid transfer port toward the microflow channels, to form a flow of the continuous phase in the one of the second liquid transfer port or the third liquid transfer port,   joining the two-phase parallel continuous flow and the flow of the continuous phase at connection sites between the microflow channels and the second liquid transfer port, to form two-phase droplets of the first dispersion phase and the second dispersion phase in the other one of the second liquid transfer port and the third liquid transfer port, and   recovering a product comprising the two-phase droplets from the other one of the second liquid transfer port and the third liquid transfer port.   
     
     
         17 . The method for generating micro two-phase droplets according to  claim 16 , wherein the second liquid transfer port is a second slit, and at the connection sites between the microflow channels and the second liquid transfer port, the two-phase parallel continuous flow is sheared by the flow of the continuous phase as a driving force, to form the two-phase droplets. 
     
     
         18 . The method for generating micro two-phase droplets according to  claim 16 , wherein one or more of the end of the first liquid transfer port, the end of the second liquid transfer port and the end of the third liquid transfer port is/are a slit. 
     
     
         19 . The method for generating micro two-phase droplets according to  claim 16 , wherein inner walls of the microflow channels are composed of a hydrophilic surface, the first dispersion phase ( 1 ) is an organic phase, the second dispersion phase ( 2 ) is an organic phase, the continuous phase is an aqueous phase, and core-shell or Janus microdroplets are generated. 
     
     
         20 . The method for generating micro two-phase droplets according to  claim 16 , wherein an inner wall of the second liquid transfer port is composed of a hydrophilic surface, the first dispersion phase ( 1 ) is an organic phase, the second dispersion phase ( 2 ) is an organic phase, the continuous phase is an aqueous phase, and core-shell or Janus microdroplets are generated. 
     
     
         21 . The method for generating micro two-phase droplets according to  claim 16 , wherein inner walls of the microflow channels connecting the end of the first slit and the end of the second liquid transfer port are composed of a hydrophobic surface, inner walls of the microflow channels connecting the end of the second liquid transfer port and the end of the third liquid transfer port are composed of a hydrophilic surface, one of the first dispersion phase and the second dispersion phase is an aqueous phase, the other one of the first dispersion phase and the second dispersion phase is an organic phase, the continuous phase is an aqueous phase, the continuous phase ( 3 ) is supplied from the second liquid transfer port ( 13 ) to the microflow channels ( 16 ), and core-shell microdroplets comprising a core of an aqueous phase and a shell of an organic phase are generated. 
     
     
         22 . The method for generating micro two-phase droplets according to  claim 16 , wherein inner walls of the microflow channels connecting the end of the first slit and the end of the second liquid transfer port are composed of a hydrophobic surface, an inner wall of the second liquid transfer port is composed of a hydrophilic surface, one of the first dispersion phase and the second dispersion phase is an aqueous phase, the other one of the first dispersion phase and the second dispersion phase is an organic phase, the continuous phase is an organic phase, the continuous phase ( 3 ) is supplied from the third liquid transfer port ( 14 ) to the microflow channels ( 16 ), and core-shell microdroplets comprising a core of an aqueous phase and a shell of an organic phase are generated. 
     
     
         23 . The method for generating micro two-phase droplets according to  claim 16 , wherein when the first dispersion phase is defined as phase  1 , the continuous phase is defined as phase  2 , and the second dispersion phase is defined as phase  3 , the interfacial tension between the phases  1  and  2  is denoted as γ 12 , the interfacial tension between the phases  1  and  3  is denoted as γ 13 , and the interfacial tension between the phases  2  and  3  is denoted as γ 23 , γ 12 >γ 23 ; a spreading parameter S i  defined by S i =γ jk −(γ ij +γ ki ) [where i, j and k are one of 1, 2 and 3 and are different from each other] is S 1 <0, S 2 <0, and S 3 >0; and core-shell microdroplets are generated. 
     
     
         24 . The method for generating micro two-phase droplets according to  claim 16 , wherein when the first dispersion phase is defined as phase  1 , the continuous phase is defined as phase  2 , and the second dispersion phase is defined as phase  3 , the interfacial tension between the phases  1  and  2  is denoted as γ 12 , the interfacial tension between the phases  1  and  3  is denoted as γ 13 , and the interfacial tension between the phases  2  and  3  is denoted as γ 23 , γ 12 >γ 23 ; a spreading parameter S i  defined by S i =γ jk −(γ ij +γ ki ) [where i, j and k are one of 1, 2 and 3 and are different from each other] is S 1 <0, S 2 <0, and S 3 <0; and Janus microdroplets are generated. 
     
     
         25 . A micro two-phase droplet generating device, comprising:
 a row of a plurality of microflow channels, and   a first liquid transfer port, a first slit, a second liquid transfer port, and a third liquid transfer port, in this order along the longitudinal direction of the microflow channels, wherein:   the first liquid transfer port is configured to supply a first dispersion phase to the plurality of microflow channels to form a flow of the first dispersion phase in the plurality of microflow channels,   the first slit is configured to supply a second phase toward the plurality of microflow channels to form a flow of the second dispersion phase in the first slit,   the connections sites between the microflow channels and the first slit are configured so that the flow of the first dispersion phase and the flow of the second dispersion phase join each other and a two-phase parallel continuous flow, which is a continuous flow having the first dispersion phase and the second dispersion phase in parallel, is formed in the microflow channels between the end of the first slit and the end of second liquid transfer port,   one of the second liquid transfer port and the third liquid transfer port is configured to supply a continuous phase toward the microflow channels to form a flow of the continuous flow in the one of the second liquid transfer port and the third liquid transfer port,   the connections sites between the microflow channels and the second liquid transfer port are configured so that the two-phase parallel continuous flow and the flow of the continuous flow join with each other to form two-phase droplets in the other one of the second liquid transfer port and the third liquid transfer port, and   the other one of the second liquid transfer port and the third liquid transfer port is configured to recover a product comprising the two-phase droplets.   
     
     
         26 . The micro two-phase droplet generating device according to  claim 25 , wherein the second liquid transfer port is a second slit, and at the connection sites between the microflow channels and the second liquid transfer port, the two-phase parallel continuous flow is sheared by the flow of the continuous phase as a driving force, to form the two-phase droplets. 
     
     
         27 . The micro two-phase droplet generating device according to  claim 25 , wherein one or more of the end of the first liquid transfer port, the end of the second liquid transfer port and the end of the third liquid transfer port is/are a slit. 
     
     
         28 . The micro two-phase droplet generating device according to  claim 25 , wherein slit(s) including the first slit is/are a planar slit. 
     
     
         29 . The micro two-phase droplet generating device according to  claim 25 , wherein slit(s) including the first slit is/are an annular slit. 
     
     
         30 . The micro two-phase droplet generating device according to  claim 25 , wherein the row of a plurality of microflow channels is formed by joining a part having the first slit and a plate part having a row of a plurality of microgrooves together, the first slit-end side surface of the part and the microgroove-end side surface of the plate part are aligned with each other. 
     
     
         31 . The micro two-phase droplet generating device according to  claim 25 , wherein the row of a plurality of microflow channels is formed by sealing a part having the first slit and microgrooves by a plate part to form the row of the plurality of microflow channels. 
     
     
         32 . The micro two-phase droplet generating device according to  claim 25 , wherein inner walls of the microflow channels or the second liquid transfer port are composed of hydrophilic surfaces and core-shell or Janus microdroplets are generated. 
     
     
         33 . The micro two-phase droplet generating device according to  claim 25 , wherein inner walls of the microflow channels connecting the end of the first slit and the end of the second liquid transfer port are composed of a hydrophobic surface, or inner walls of the microflow channels connecting the end of the second liquid transfer port and the end of the third liquid transfer port or an inner wall of the second liquid transfer port are/is composed of a hydrophobic surface, and core-shell microdroplets comprising a core of an aqueous phase and a shell of an organic phase are generated.